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Dinoflagellate-infecting viruses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2006

K. Nagasaki
Affiliation:
National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Fisheries Research Agency, 2-17-5 Maruishi, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0452, Japan
Y. Tomaru
Affiliation:
National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Fisheries Research Agency, 2-17-5 Maruishi, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0452, Japan
Y. Shirai
Affiliation:
National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Fisheries Research Agency, 2-17-5 Maruishi, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0452, Japan
Y. Takao
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Konan University 8-9-1 Okamoto, Higashinada, Kobe 658-8501, Japan
H. Mizumoto
Affiliation:
National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Fisheries Research Agency, 2-17-5 Maruishi, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0452, Japan

Abstract

Dinoflagellates (Dinophyceae) are considered to be one of the most abundant and diverse groups of phytoplankton; however, the viral impact on dinoflagellates was not studied until recently. This review shows the present information concerning the viruses infecting dinoflagellates and the ecology relationships between the host and the virus. So far, two viruses have been isolated and characterized: a large DNA virus (HcV: Heterocapsa circularisquama virus) and a small RNA virus (HcRNAV: H. circularisquama RNA virus); both of which are infectious to the harmful bloom-forming dinoflagellate H. circularisquama.

In the present review, we mainly discuss the relationship between HcRNAV and H. circularisquama from the viewpoint of physiology, ecology and genetics. It will help clarify the viral impact on dinoflagellate populations in marine environments to understand the host/parasite ecology.

Type
Review
Copyright
2006 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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